Apparatus for outfeeding flat products, especially printed products, arriving in an imbricated array

Abstract

An apparatus for outfeeding printed products arriving in an imbricated product stream, in which, in each case, the leading edge of a printed product overlies the rearward edge of the preceding printed product. The arriving imbricated product stream is infed, by means of a conveyor belt or band, to the conveying gap of a deflection or turning device where the imbricated product stream is turned through about 180°. This deflection device comprises a deflection drum about which there is guided an endless conveyor belt. A pressing or contact belt, held under tension, is arranged opposite the deflection drum and forms together therewith the conveying gap. The pressing belt presses the printed products, traveling through the conveying gap, against the deflection drum. The conveyor belt guided about the deflection drum conveys the printed products, departing out of the conveying gap, towards an individual conveyor. This individual conveyor possesses individually actuatable grippers which, viewed in the product conveying direction, are arranged behind one another and attached to a traction element. These grippers engage the printed products, infed by the conveyor belt, at their leading edges and convey such upwardly away. At the transfer region the conveying direction of the individual conveyor extends from below towards the top and transversely with respect to the surface of the printed products, so that the latter are raised upwardly and detached from the imbricated product stream.

What we claim is: 
     
       1. An apparatus for outfeeding essentially flat products, especially printed products, arriving in an imbricated product stream, comprising: a conveyor device having a predetermined direction of conveying of the products;   individually controllable grippers arranged in tandem at said conveyor device in the direction of conveying of the products and at a predetermined distance from one another;   said individually controllable grippers serving for engaging the infed products at their leading edge;   means for infeeding the products to said conveyor device in an imbricated product formation where each product bears upon the next following product; and   said predetermined direction of conveying, at least at a transfer region of the products from said infeeding means to said conveyor device, being directed from the underside of the product to be engaged by the gripper towards the upper side of said product and extending essentially transversely with respect to a plane defined by the product to be engaged in order to lift the topmost product from the imbricated product formation in a manner so as not to essentially disrupt the remainder of the imbricated product formation.   
     
     
       2. The apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein: said infeeding means comprises an infeed device;   said infeeding means including a turning device arranged upstream, with respect to the direction of movement of the products, of the conveyor device; said turning device causing a turning of the arriving imbricated product stream formed by each product of the imbricated product stream bearing upon its immediately leading product.   
     
     
       3. The apparatus as defined in claim 2, wherein: said turning device serves to turn the arriving imbricated product stream through an angle of about 180° about its longitudinal axis which extends essentially parallel to the direction of conveying of the products. 
     
     
       4. The apparatus as defined in claim 2, wherein: said turning device comprises a deflection device through which passes the imbricated product stream;   said deflection device serving for the deflection of the imbricated product stream;   said deflection device having an outfeed end having a direction of product conveying which is opposite to the direction of conveying of the imbricated product stream arriving at the deflection device.   
     
     
       5. The apparatus as defined in claim 4, wherein: said deflection device includes structure defining a conveying gap where there occurs a pressing of the throughpassing imbricated product stream.   
     
     
       6. The apparatus as defined in claim 5, wherein: said structure defining said conveying gap comprises a rotatable deflection drum and an endless revolving pressing band forming together with said deflection drum said conveying gap.   
     
     
       7. The apparatus as defined in claim 6, further including: an endless revolving conveyor belt guided over said deflection drum;   said endless revolving conveyor belt conveying the imbricated product stream, departing out of said conveying gap, towards the conveyor device.   
     
     
       8. The apparatus as defined in claim 6, wherein: said pressing band constitutes a driven band means; and   at least one tension roll over which there is guided said driven band means.   
     
     
       9. The apparatus as defined in claim 8, further including: an endless revolving conveyor belt guided over said deflection drum;   said endless revolving conveyor belt conveying the imbricated product stream, departing out of said conveying gap, towards the conveyor device.   
     
     
       10. The appartus as defined in claim 5, wherein: said means for infeeding includes belt conveyor means arranged forwardly of said deflection device; and   said belt conveyor means serving for the infeed of the arriving imbricated product stream to the conveying gap.   
     
     
       11. The apparatus as defined in claim 10, wherein: said belt conveyor means possesses an essentially horizontal direction of conveying;   said deflection device including a conveyor belt;   said conveyor belt having a portion merging at its outfeed side at said conveying gap and which is effective opposite to the belt conveyor means.   
     
     
       12. The apparatus as defined in claim 11, wherein: said portion of said conveyor belt extends essentially horizontally.   
     
     
       13. The apparatus as defined in claim 11, wherein: said portion of said conveyor belt is inclined with respect to the horizontal.   
     
     
       14. The apparatus as defined in claim 10, further including: alignment means arranged laterally of the belt conveyor means; and   said alignment means serving for the alignment of the products within the imbricated product stream.   
     
     
       15. The apparatus as defined in claim 14, wherein: said belt conveyor means possesses an essentially horizontal direction of conveying;   said deflection device including a conveyor belt;   said conveyor belt having a portion merging at its outfeed side at said conveying gap and which is effective opposite to the belt conveyor means.   
     
     
       16. The apparatus as defined in claim 15, wherein: said portion of said conveyor belt extends essentially horizontally.   
     
     
       17. The apparatus as defined in claim 15, wherein: said portion of said conveyor belt extends at an inclination with respect to the horizontal.   
     
     
       18. The apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein: the direction of conveying of the conveyor device, at the transfer region of the products, forming together with the direction of conveying of the imbricated product stream incoming at the transfer region, a predetermined angle.   
     
     
       19. The apparatus as defined in claim 18, wherein: the direction of conveying of the conveyor device extends at least at the transfer region essentially in vertical direction.   
     
     
       20. The apparatus as defined in claim 18, wherein: the direction of conveying of the conveyor device, at least at the transfer region, extends at an acute angle with respect to the vertical.   
     
     
       21. The apparatus as defined in claim 18, wherein: the direction of conveying of the conveyor device, at least at the transfer region, extends at a predetermined angle.   
     
     
       22. The apparatus as defined in claim 18, further including: impact means for the leading edge of the product to be engaged by a gripper arranged at the transfer region.   
     
     
       23. The apparatus as defined in claim 18, wherein: said conveyor device comprises an individual conveyor;   the speed of conveying of the individual conveyor and the number of products conveyed per unit of time to the transfer region being matched to one another such that each gripper engages at least two products.   
     
     
       24. The apparatus as defined in claim 18, further including: a contactless operating counter device arranged at the transfer region and controlled by the leading edge of the product to be engaged by a related one of the grippers.   
     
     
       25. The apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein: each gripper comprises two substantially clamplike, coacting clamping jaws movable between a clamping position, against the action of spring force, and an open position; and   shaft means about which there are conjointly pivotable said coacting clamping jaws.   
     
     
       26. The apparatus as defined in claim 25, wherein: one of said clamping jaws comprises two movable elements which can be moved independently of one another with respect to the other clamping jaw.   
     
     
       27. The apparatus as defined in claim 25, further including: cam means for rocking and opening the grippers moving towards a transfer region located between said infeeding means and said conveyor device.   
     
     
       28. The apparatus as defined in claim 27, wherein: one of said clamping jaws is intended to engage beneath the printed products;   said one clamping jaw having at a front edge thereof a guide surface for directing the incoming product into the opened gripper.   
     
     
       29. The apparatus as defined in claim 28, wherein: said front edge possesses a substantially wedgeshaped configuration.   
     
     
       30. An apparatus for outfeeding essentially flat products, especially printed products, arriving in an imbricated product stream, comprising: a conveyor device having a predetermined direction of conveying of the products;   individually controllable grippers arranged in tandem at said conveyor device;   said individually controllable grippers serving for engaging the infed products at their leading edge;   means for infeeding the products to said conveyor device in an imbricated formation where each product bears upon the next following product;   a deflection mechanism provided at a transfer region for the products between said infeeding means and said conveyor device;   said deflection mechanism being periodically introduceable into the arriving imbricated product stream;   said deflection mechanism acting upon a leading edge of the product to be engaged and deflecting such product, depending upon the mutual position of the product to be engaged and the passing gripper, either to such passing gripper or the next following gripper.   
     
     
       31. The apparatus as defined in claim 30, wherein: said deflection mechanism comprises a revolvingly driven wheel arranged beneath the imbricated product stream;   said revolvingly driven wheel having fingers protruding from its circumference;   said protruding fingers upwardly deflecting the product to be engaged upon passage of the leading edge of such product.   
     
     
       32. The apparatus as defined in claim 31, further including: at least one deflecting element operatively associated with each finger and controlled by the passing gripper;   a product which has not been deflected by the related finger impacting against said deflection element in order to be infed to the next following gripper.